We are so honored to welcome Lourdes “Lulu” Blacksmith of Kane County to our Board of Trustees. Her wide-ranging experience in community involvement, government affairs, diversity, equity, and inclusion will deeply enrich our Board.
Lulu is the Managing Director of Community Engagement and Legislative Affairs at Elgin Community College, managing the college’s legislative initiatives and building impactful relationships with district residents, businesses and organizations. Prior to joining Elgin Community College, Lulu served as the Dean of Student and Community/Government Engagement at Waubonsee Community College, and as the Director of Community Relations and District Press Secretary for the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Lulu has an extensive record of community service in the Fox Valley including founding Compañeros en Salud / Partners in Health, NFP in 1999 to provide the Hispanic community and other diverse groups with the means to access resources and services for their health and well-being. In 2000, Lulu also founded Language Access to Healthcare, a free community-based, health care interpreting service to increase access to health care. Currently, Lulu is involved with Compañeros en Salud/Partners in Health, NFP., the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, and the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Business and Economic Revival Council.
When asked about joining The Conservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Lulu said, “I am happy to join this amazing group of people who work tirelessly to preserve and beautify the earth’s natural resources… our parks, our neighborhoods, and our communities.”
Lulu earned her Doctor of Education degree in Leadership in Higher Education and Organizational Change from Benedictine University, a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University, her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts with an emphasis on multicultural studies from DePaul University and her associate’s degree from Waubonsee Community College.
Lulu lives in Elburn, IL with her husband Steve and has two daughters, Nikki and Stefanie.